Iron and ironing method with textile adjuvant dispensing

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an iron and an ironing method. The iron comprises a heating soleplate (2), a reservoir (15) designed to contain a textile adjuvant and a device for dispensing (11-13) the adjuvant. The iron comprises a diluting device (7, 12, 14, 18) comprising an adjuvant-free water supply system (7), the diluting device being connected to the adjuvant reservoir and designed to produce a diluted adjuvant solution before dispensing. Preferably, the iron comprises an evaporating device (4-10) fed by the water supply system.

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/FR98/02535 filed Nov. 26, 1998 which designated the U.S.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an iron and ironing process, withdistribution of a textile adjuvant.

PRIOR ART

Irons have known significant improvements such as the addition ofdevices for moistening the linen, by spraying water with the aid of anintegrated sprayer, and/or with means for producing steam.

There are known products facilitating ironing, for example by improvingsliding of the iron, and products improving the behavior of the fabrics,for example in order to soften them or in order to improve theappearance. The means for distributing these products onto the fabricare essentially bottles filled with treating products in liquid form:soluble oils, suspensions or latex. These bottles are either under gaspressure, or supplied with a manual pump in order to permit distributionby spraying on a fabric to be ironed. However, the utilization ofbottles requires the user to put down her iron each time since in orderto impregnate the fabric, she must grasp the bottle.

This difficulty is resolved by systems integrated into the iron andcomprising a pump, described for example in French patent 2,705,975,which requires a reservoir separate from the steam reservoir, reservedfor the textile treating product.

One shortcoming of such systems is that the supplemental reservoirassigned to the active product occupies a great amount of space, at theexpense of the water reservoir for steaming, which reduces the capacityof the iron. Moreover, the presence of two reservoirs inevitably leadsto filling errors, and the filling of the water reservoir for steamingwith an active product, even very diluted, can lead to a very poorfunctioning of the iron with ejection of impurities through all of thesteam holes.

There are also known devices described for example in French patent2,686,629 where the active product is distributed at the same time asthe steam. These devices for distribution with the steam haveunfortunately the drawback of not permitting the utilization of a variedrange of active products, these having to be among others those which donot distill and which are not destroyed by steam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention has as an object an iron permitting a distribution of atextile adjuvant without having the preceding drawbacks of knowndevices, and thus rendering possible the utilization of a varied rangeof active products, permitting a satisfactory capacity for the iron andconvenience of use with minimum risks of handling errors.

The invention equally concerns an ironing method with distribution of atextile adjuvant, convenient and easy to use.

The invention is thus applied to an iron comprising a heating soleplate,a reservoir intended to contain a textile adjuvant and a device fordistributing the adjuvant.

According to the invention, the iron comprises means for diluting theadjuvant comprising an adjuvant-free water supply system, these dilutingmeans being connected to the adjuvant reservoir and intended to producea diluted solution of the adjuvant before distribution.

Thus, the adjuvant reservoir can contain the adjuvant in concentratedform, the dilution means permitting to obtain during operation thedesired concentration of the distributed product. One advantage for aniron is that the adjuvant reservoir can be of small capacity. Thus, inthe case of an iron comprising a water reservoir for steaming, thecapacity of the iron is not adversely affected, in contrast to existingdevices.

Integration of an adjuvant reservoir into the iron permitssimplification of the distribution of the adjuvant by a user. Inaddition, in the case where the iron comprises a water reservoir forsteaming, the risks of confusion during filling are considerably reducedby the fact that the capacities of the water reservoir and of theadjuvant reservoir are very different. Any risks of error will beeliminated if use is made in the adjuvant reservoir of pre-filledcassettes.

At the interior of the adjuvant reservoir, the concentrated activeproduct is in a first embodiment in liquid form, and in a secondembodiment in solid form. The adjuvant-free water supply systemcomprises, as for itself, in a first embodiment a water reservoir and ina second embodiment an integrated water inlet.

The device for distribution of the adjuvant is advantageously a sprayingdevice. In other embodiments, it consists of a system for deliveringjets under pressure or flow of liquid by gravity.

Preferably, the iron comprises a steam device fed by the water supplysystem.

Thus, the same system serves at the same time to dilute the adjuvant andto furnish the steam. This characteristic enhances the simplicity ofutilization of the iron with steaming and permits an economicalfabrication and use.

In an advantageous manner, the adjuvant being liquid, the dilution meanscomprise a mixing chamber connected to the adjuvant distribution deviceand means for supplying the mixing chamber with water from the supplysystem and with adjuvant from the adjuvant reservoir.

The presence of such a chamber improves the control of dilution.

In this embodiment with a dilution chamber, the means for supplying themixing chamber comprise advantageously first and second pumping systemsrespectively drawing water and adjuvant into the mixing chamber, thesepumping systems having an average relative flow rate in a ratio of thedesired dilution.

Thus, the diluting means are activated in a reliable manner and thedilution ratio is perfectly controlled.

The two pumping systems of the means for supplying consist of two pumps,or of two bodies of a single pump.

It is then advantageous for the adjuvant reservoir to include a spoutopening to the exterior of the iron, intended to avoid an excessivelylow pressure in the adjuvant reservoir.

According to another embodiment of the iron with a mixing chamber, themixing is effectuated by back flow and not by aspiration. In anembodiment without a mixing chamber, the water is conducted directlyinto the adjuvant reservoir and it provokes the desired dilution.

In another embodiment without a mixing chamber, the adjuvant beingliquid, the diluting means comprise a pump which draws water from thesupply system and adjuvant from the adjuvant reservoir and in whichthere is produced a mixing of the water and the adjuvant, and a tapwhich permits metering of the suctioning of the adjuvant, and to thusobtain an average relative pumping flow rate of water and adjuvant in adesired dilution ratio.

This latter embodiment is particularly economical.

Advantageously, the adjuvant reservoir consists of a removable cassette.

Such a cassette is preferably of small volume and disposable after use.It also facilitates the utilization of the iron according to theinvention and avoids all possible confusion in the case where the ironcomprises a reservoir for water for steaming.

In a first embodiment of the water supply system, this latter comprisesan adjuvant-free water reservoir.

In a second embodiment of the water supply system, this comprises awater inlet.

The water supply system, with water reservoir or water inlet, isadvantageously that provided for steaming in the case where the iron isa steam iron.

Preferably, the adjuvant is in a form selected from among a solution, anemulsion, a suspension, a latex and a soluble solid.

In the case where the adjuvant is in solid form, a current of waterpasses through the adjuvant reservoir during each adjuvant distributionoperation and is loaded to the maximum concentration permitted by thelaws of solubility. Preferably, the diluting means of the iron thenpermit the solution obtained as with a liquid to be diluted, to thedesired level.

The invention has equally for its object an ironing method in which atextile adjuvant is distributed on a surface to the iron.

According to the invention, the adjuvant is preliminarily disposed inconcentrated form in an adjuvant reservoir and during the ironing theadjuvant contained in the adjuvant reservoir is mixed with waterobtained from an adjuvant-free water supply system, in a manner toproduce a diluted solution of the adjuvant, and this solution isdistributed onto the surface to be ironed.

BRIEF DESCRIPION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be illustrated without being in any way limited bythe detailed description of embodiments given by way of examples andrepresented on the attached figures, on which:

FIG. 1 represents a longitudinal cross-section of a first embodiment ofan iron according to the invention.

FIG. 2 represents a longitudinal cross-section of a second embodiment ofan iron according to the invention.

On the two Figures, the same elements are designated by the samereferences.

BEST MANNER OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An iron according to the invention, shown in FIG. 1, is a steam ironcomprising a body 1. This body 1 forming a handle, supports soleplate 2electrically heated by a sheathed heating element one extremity 3 ofwhich is illustrated. Soleplate 2 is provided with a steam chamber 4 anda chamber 5 for distributing steam toward steam orifices such as 6. Anintegrated reservoir 7 has a filling opening 8 and is in communicationwith steam chamber 4 via a flow regulating valve 9 whose control 10 isaccessible to the user, in the usual manner.

The iron comprises a protrusion in front, this form permitting a goodorientation of a spray nozzle 11 in the direction of the laundry to beironed. This nozzle 11 is advantageously located relatively high, atleast at the level of gripping in order to maintain a satisfactorydistance with respect to the fabric and with an average incidence anglewhich does not exceed 60° with respect to the vertical. Preferably, itis of the flat jet type, the plane of the jet being perpendicular to themedian longitudinal plane of the iron. Nozzle 11 is supplied with adiluted active product by an electric pump 12 via a conduit 13. Pump 12preferably furnishes a pressure near or greater than 1.5 bars. A secondpump 14 suctions the concentrated active product contained in areservoir 15. This reservoir is preferably a removable cassette housedin a compartment 16. A spout 17 opening to the exterior of the ironpermits the suctioning without too much of a pressure drop in thecassette. An annular chamber 18 of small volume, presents a tangentialinlet of the concentrated product in the vicinity of pump 14 and atangential entry of water from reservoir 7. The axial outlet isconnected to the inlet of pump 12 supplying nozzle 11.

The two pumps 12 and 14 are miniature pumps which can be identical.During spraying, pump 12 operates continuously while pump 14 functionswith a duty cycle less than one. Chamber 18 must then have a sufficientvolume to permit homogenizing the mixture during an operating period ofpump 14. A control 19 permits spraying and electronics, not shown,create the operating cycle of pump 14. Optionally, another controlpermits not using the product and spraying only water by halting pump14.

By way of example the flow rate of supply nozzle 11 is 80 g/mn and thatof pump 14 is 4 g/mn on average and is obtained by a flow of 100 g/mnduring 4/100 of an operating period. The operating time of pump 14 is 10ms and the period is 250 ms. The capacity of chamber 18 is of the orderof the main flow during several periods or around 0.6 to 2 cm³. In thismanner, the flow from nozzle 11 consists of a mixture of around 1/20 ofconcentrated product with water, but the duty cycle of pump 14 can beadjusted for any desired dilution. By way of example reservoir 15 has avolume of 15 cm³ while reservoir 7 has a capacity of the order of 200cm³.

In a second embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, nozzle 11 is supplied withdiluted active product by a single pump 22 having two inlet valves. Pump22 suctions water from reservoir 7 via a first capillary tube 20, andpossibly a water treatment cartridge (not shown). Simultaneously, itsuctions the treatment product from reservoir 15 via a second capillarytube 21 and a tap 23.

Tap 23 permits metering and controlling the suction flow of theconcentrated active product contained in reservoir 15. Advantageously,it renders possible a complete interruption of suctioning of thetreatment product, which permits the iron to distribute selectively vianozzle 11 the treatment product or simply water, as with an ordinaryspray. The flow rate of concentrated product being very inferior to theflow rate of water, closing of tap 23 does not substantially affect theflow rate of the spray.

The two capillary tubes 20 and 21 and the tap 23 permit control of therespective flow rates and concentrated product. Capillary tube 20creates a pressure drop at the entrance of pump 22 and capillary tube 21is adapted to furnish the flow rate of the product as a function of itsviscosity and of the vacuum pressure at the inlet.

In operation, water and adjuvant are suctioned simultaneously into pump22 and are there mixed. Preferably, the concentrated product has a flowwhich is continuous and simultaneous with that of the water, in such amanner that the mixing is performed without difficulty in pump 22. Onethus easily obtains dilutions in a ratio of 1/20.

POSSIBILITY OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

The invention finds its application in the technical field of ironingappliances and processes.

What is claimed is:
 1. Iron comprising a heating soleplate (2), a watersupply system (7) for supplying water which is free of adjuvant, anadjuvant reservoir (15) for containing a textile adjuvant, and a device(11) for dispensing the adjuvant, said iron comprising adjuvant dilutingmeans (7, 12, 14, 18, 20-23) connected to said adjuvant reservoir (15)and to said water supply system (7), for producing a diluted solution ofthe adjuvant before said dispensing, wherein said diluting meanscomprise a mixing chamber (18, 22) for mixing water coming from thewater supply system and adjuvant coming from the adjuvant reservoir. 2.Iron according to claim 1 wherein the adjuvant is a liquid.
 3. Ironaccording to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant is a solid, and said adjuvantreservoir is arranged to be loaded with adjuvant to a maximumconcentration by a stream of water which traverses said adjuvantreservoir.
 4. Iron according to claim 1, wherein the adjuvant is in aform selected from among: a solution; an emulsion; a suspension; and alatex.
 5. Iron according to claim 1 wherein said adjuvant diluting meanscomprise a first pumping system (12) which draws water and adjuvant intosaid mixing chamber (18), and a second pumping system (14) which drawsadjuvant from said adjuvant reservoir (15), said pumping systems havingan average relative pumping flow rate in a predetermined dilution ratio.6. Iron according to claim 5 wherein the adjuvant reservoir (15)comprises a spout (17) opening to the exterior of the iron.
 7. Ironaccording to claim 1 wherein said diluting means (7, 20-23) comprise: apump (22) having an inlet chamber which constitutes said mixing chamber;a first capillary tube (20) connected to draw water from said supplysystem (7); and a second capillary tube (21) connected to draw adjuvantfrom said adjuvant reservoir (15).
 8. Iron according to claim 7 whereinsaid diluting means further comprise a tap (23) which permits blockingof adjuvant flow from said adjuvant reservoir to said second capillarytube.
 9. Iron according to claim 1, further comprising a steaming device(4-10) fed by said water supply system (7).
 10. Iron according to claim1 wherein said adjuvant reservoir consists of a removable cassette. 11.Iron according to claim 1 wherein said water supply system comprises anadjuvant-free water reservoir.